Parents should ensure health of kids' teeth
This letter is in response to the editorial by Dr. Kim C. Smith, "Fluoride vote a disappointment," on Oct. 9. Smith stated that "Next time you see a young child with rotten teeth, just think how much harder it will be for him or her to be successful in society because of the poor first impression that smile will make."

Fair pay only part of the problem
I am a state employee and have written in regards to issues involving our pay. While pay is probably the most crucial part of the loggerheads we are at, it is only the tip of the iceberg.

Judge: District won't pay damages in Bong Hits case
The Juneau School District announced late Friday what officials described as the end of the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" lawsuit, saying that U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick ruled in favor of former Juneau-Douglas High School Principal Deborah Morse and the School District over a request for damages.

Photo: A break in the weather
Mary Capobianco, left, and Ann Turner Olson take advantage of Sunday's sunny weather to go for a power walk up the Eaglecrest road. A snow-covered Mount Stroller White is in the background.

Photo: Race Around the Breaker
Sam Skaggs, foreground, chases Matt Kirchhoff, center, and Adrian Slater on Saturday during the Juneau Rowing Club's Race Around the Breaker at Aurora Harbor.

Bartlett remodel nears completion
In job-site lingo, it's referred to as "the bid-two remodel phase-one." Next spring, when the freshly remodeled 36,000 square-feet of hospital space reopens, it will be a respiratory therapy room, a gift shop, and physical therapy and surgical recovery rooms.

Political correctness - or is it the truth?
It is unfortunate that "The Edge of Darkness" is a little-remembered film. In one riveting scene, the schoolteacher of a Norwegian fishing village confronts the Nazi officer in charge of the occupation forces.

My turn: A response to Kreitzer's data on state employees
I have to take issue with several points in Alaska Commission of Administration Annette Kreitzer's editorial of Oct. 10. She stated, "The average stay of an employee with the state right now is about 10 years, and the average age of that employee is about 45.

Backpack transmitters and GPS implants
Researchers have equipped 20 black oystercatchers with small backpack VHF radios, and another 14 with surgically implanted transmitters that broadcast the birds' movements as they migrate.

Spying on nests
On a night-time beach, a wolverine discovers a black oystercatcher's nest, a simple bowl scraped into the gravel. Glowing with a ghostly luminescence, the wolverine breaks open and eats all three eggs, leaving the empty shells.

Vengeance is the Bears'
Faifo Levale answered his phone before Saturday's large-school semifinal game against South Anchorage High School and heard an oh-so-familiar voice on the other end.

Legislative ethics police under fire
The Alaska Legislature's ethics police, operating in secrecy when they operate at all, appear to have been ineffective while corruption infiltrated the Alaska Legislature in recent years.

Peace groups display boots to show cost of war
Peace groups brought a solemn display to Anchorage: an exhibit of 109 pairs of black boots representing the 109 American servicemen and women with connections to Alaska who have died in Iraq.

Sentencing for Papa Pilgrim delayed
A judge granted a delay in the sentencing of the man known as Papa Pilgrim, who faces a 14-year sentence after pleading no contest to charges of rape, kidnapping and incest.